


Shell

by Aroadtotomorow



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:49:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25334911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aroadtotomorow/pseuds/Aroadtotomorow
Summary: Shore, sea and on small pair of feet. And a shell…One old if not forgotten memory from Lauren't childhood may find continuation...
Relationships: Damen/Laurent (Captive Prince)
Kudos: 19





	1. before we began

Shore, sea and on small pair of feet. And a shell…  
He is looking at the sea, at the waves. The way they appear and disappear is amazing. This is not his first time seeing sea, but it is his first time seeing shell, especially this one.  
Back in his country even summers are cold, not too cold but not warm enough as in this one. Here his beautiful blue dress is too hot to wear, too heavy. Unlike clothing of other children he saw on his way here; those children wore nothing at the beach, older boys have light chitons but younger does not hide their nudity.  
He tries it again. He hurries when the wave pulls back and reveal lovely shell on the wet sand, but his long dress doesn’t allow enough movement, so he is always just moment away from his price. His small legs tries to run to the shell and grab it in a hurry but next wave always comes too soon. He thinks of trying one more time, one time to try to reach for that wonderful gift of the sea, he even considers letting salty water to touch his blue shoes and maybe even ruin them. But ruining his expensive shoes means he’ll be punished and not allowed to play with his brother later.  
He tries once more but with no success. Every time he runs away from the waves there is only a shell on the wet sand without even footprints as the witness of his effort. He sets himself on the warm golden sand and begun crying. He wants that shell it’s too beautiful and too unique, but he is too weak and too slow to reach it. He turns away to look for his brother maybe he can get it; but he is nowhere to be seen. No one is.  
He realized that when he snuck out nobody noticed. Not his busy father, not his absent brother or even his governess which didn’t like him too much in the first place either. He was alone… alone in this strange country, with strange people not knowing how to get back.  
Now he is scared, and he cries even hared. He could ask for help but he remembers that this country uses slaves, and he is beautiful, lost boy. He might get kidnaped, after all that is what his governess warned him about when he asked to go play outside the first day they arrived here. That is the reason he couldn’t play with his brother and why he was locked in his room alone, where he was bored and from where he snuck out.  
But his brother will find him! As soon as he sees that he is missing brother will sent solders to look for him. He might get into the trouble but at least he will be safe in his brother’s arms. Now he just need to stay right where he is and to wait. Maybe he can even try to reach shell once more while he is waiting to be saved.  
\----  
He is hot. Warm blue dress has laces on the back and it is impossible for him to unlace and get some fresh air on his skin. He can’t even open his sleeves as their laces are tied tight. Even his small blue shoes are too warm for this climate and too tied, and even though they are good quality some sand managed to get into them. His golden bowl-cut hair is full of sweat, not sticking to his forehead making him feel like he is in some hot shower that can’t cool him down.  
He waits and tries not to cry more.  
The sand is fun… yeah sure it’s in his shoes, it’s hot and dry but it’s fun. He can play till it while he waits for his brother to find him.  
He is getting warmer and by watching the sea and shell he realizes how hungry and thirsty he is. He might check if there is a spring among the trees nearby, he might even hide in its shade, but then again his brother might not be able to find him in there, so he’ll endure it.  
Time is passing, he is getting hungrier, thirstier, warmer, more scared and the shell he wishes to reach is slowly being pulled into the sea by every passing wave.  
He cries, he does it so loudly and he doesn’t care anymore if he is found in this state he just want his brother. He wants to go home, to eat sweets and drink tea in the shade of the trees in his mother’s garden.  
Suddenly he hear a voice and looks up. He sees a boy older than him, but younger than his brother. The boy looks like many other boys from this country, with his curly brown hair tanned skin and dark eyes it reminds him of the young black lamb he once saw when he went to the country side with his brother.  
The boys says something again but he doesn’t understand him. They can’t communicate, they do not speak the same language so the communication is an issue. He tries to explain by putting his pale palms on his tummy and looks the boy directly in the eyes.  
Looking directly in his blue eyes the curly boy offers him something from his hand. It’s a fruit. Small, round-like, orange-colored, smooth and soft. He takes the fruit and enjoys the sweet taste of it and its juices. He smiles as the fruit gives him some recollection. The boy standing above him gives him another one and he realizes that curly boy has many fruits picked up in the brown bag that was hanging on the back of the chiton he is wearing.  
While eating the fruits, curly boy sits beside him and asks some questions again, but the language barrier is too strong. The languages are too different and the dialects and accents are making it even worse he just can’t understand no matter how hard he tries.  
Not knowing or understanding his new friend; the boy simply points his little finger toward the sea and says “shell” in his own language.  
The boy with curls repeats the word, barely, his accent is strong and word is recognizable but not correct. Then without hesitation he gets up and goes to the sea. The waves do not reach his chiton he just bows down and pick up the shell from the shallow water. “For you” he says and even though accent is still there Laurent can understand him. He takes the shell with biggest smile on his face and giggles pressing his new gift to his chests.  
The curly boy tries again to start conversation not in his own language but the language of the Laurent. Small sentences like „how to walk” and “house must guide you” are being spoken but not understood. With some gestures and repeating the blond finally realizes that curly boy is asking for his house, but he just shakes his head in a way to show that he doesn’t know where he is or where to go.  
After some thinking Curly boy offers his hand and says “Home find”. The Laurent takes it and together they adventure to find his home.  
They walk for some time, looking around if they will see some familiar faces, and all that time curly boy was trying to tell his story but without success, all in all it was nice to have someone close to him. It was nice not being alone and not being scared.  
The heat became even more unbearable so the curly boy takes him to the shade of the trees. It was a pomegranate trees growing directly from the sand of the beach, it was close to the sea and had a small spring right next to it, like a small oasis.  
Curly boy drunk some of the water and sat on the cold sands spreading his legs and letting the cold breeze cool him down. Blond did the same but his warm clothes were stopping him from enjoying the full treatment.  
It looked like the curly boy understood the situation, because after some mumbling he pointed at the small blue shoes Laurent was wearing. Then he bent down and tried to unlace it. His fingers were clumsy and unsure of what to do. Like he never saw laces, but after some more trying he managed to unlace one shoe. The fresh cold ear touched the pale skin and it was best feeling ever, soon other shoe went away and the Laurent took a great sigh of relief. Now it would be wonderful if he could unlace the dress too but that would be too much work.  
For some time they just sat down eating the rest of the orange fruits that curly boy had in his bag. “Apricots” curly boy says eating the last fruit. They stared at the sea watching waves and dolphins in the far. It was relaxing. The smell of the sea the perfect temperature of the shade, the sound of the waves.  
As the time pass Laurent’s head became heavy, he yawns and rests his head on the boys shoulder. Slowly his eyes close down and when he opens them again he realizes that the shade of the tree move, which mean that some time did pass.  
Laurent looks at the boy and he is looking back to him. Laurent realized that all this time curly boy was watching him, not moving, not disturbing his nap and his cheeks get pink from shyness. Older boy just smiles sweetly exposing small dimples on his brown cheeks.  
How he didn’t noticed those dimples before? They are so cute, he tries to poke them and the older boy even bows down to give him better access and a big smile. That smile reminds Laurent of his big brother.  
His brother…  
He must be worried sick. Or maybe he didn’t even realized that he is missing. Maybe nobody noticed, maybe nobody cares. Will he stay here with this tanned boy forever? Will they grew up together?  
Laurent becomes visibly scared and the curly boy without hesitation gets up, takes Laurent’s hand and moves onto new search for Laurent’s home. He is clenching the shell in is hands following his new friend and new guide.  
Holding each other’s hands they try to have conversation once more. With rough accent and many grammar mistakes older boy explains that the shell is called Bolinus it’s a shell from which his people get rare purple color that is cherished in all four empires. Laurent knows of this color but he didn’t know that such a beautiful thing have to be destroyed to get it. It seems unfair unrealistic. How many shells are smashed for one handkerchief that he got for his birthday? How many of those beauties are gone for a piece of clothing that will only be eaten by moths or thrown out?  
Soon the ground changes. It’s no longer sandy beach but more rocky ground still near the sea. There are houses not that far. Villas in which Akelion’s nobleman’s lives. But they are not Laurents’s.  
Looking at the shallow sea Laurent spots another shell in the sea, but this one is bigger and edges are curvier not sharp like one he is already holding. But this shell is already filled with a crab and it’s getting away with its house.  
Seeing the glow in Laurent’s eyes older boy runs towards it and tries to catch it but it gets away. He waves from the sea and yells “wait” diving once more in the sea.  
Laurent is waiting for him and watches as the curly boy gets to the surface and dives again few times.  
“LAURENT!!!” there is a worried voice from not so far away.  
He can see him. His brother. He is running toward him forgetting the boy in the sea.  
“O my God Laurent I was so worried. Where were you? I thought I lost you. Did Helga not check on you? I’ll fire her I don’t care she is the best in the kingdom…” Older brother I talking fast and loud holding Laurent into the strongest hug he ever gave to anyone.  
“A-auguste.”  
“No Laurent I’m not angry, I’m just worried. Let’s go back. Father still didn’t realized you are gone. I told guard to tell him we went to stroll on the beach.” Auguste was carrying Laurent toward his horse.  
“A-Auguste” Laurent is trying so hard to talk to his brother. “The boy.” he points to the sea where his friend dived another second ago not taking look at him. He wants to tell his brother to wait. To take boy with them and to thank him.  
“Not now Laurent. You are barefoot and almost dehydrated. When we arrive at the palace we can talk.” Auguste says putting his brother on the horse sitting behind him and riding toward the place they are staying for some days.

The curly boy gets on the surface of the sea, he is holding the shell, he managed to find another one in the sea this one is even bigger and prettier. He looks at the shore. The blond is not there. He is carried by another man. Tall, blond and dressed in a similar blue colored suit. He runs toward them his voice gone from not taking enough breath, but the sea is slowing him down making him fall over and over into the shallow sea.  
When he arrives to the shore they are already riding galloping horse and no matter how fast he is running and how loud he is calling they do not turn back.  
He falls on the ground. He is tired, breathless and with no way to know where they are going he can only watch as they slowly disappear.  
\--  
“Damen! Where were you?” a tall older young man asks. “You were gone for hours I got worried.”  
Holding a shell he runs to his brother sad and confused. “Kastor.”  
“What’s wrong Damen?” Kastor askes as he knows it’s not usual for his brother to act like this. Then he notices his brother’s cargo. “Wow what a lovely shell that is. Is it for some girl? No a boy? Oh has my little brother found his soul mate already?” his brother is joking trying to make Damen feel better and it does help.  
Damen only answered with a laugh and asks his bother to stop teasing him.  
The night has fallen. Damen is tired from searching both palace and the city for the golden boy. He is still holding his shell hoping that he still might find him. He sits on the balcony looking at the sea that reminds him of the boy’s eyes. The breeze is relaxing and the moonshine on the sea reminds him of the boy’s pale skin.  
Maybe sometime in future he will see that boy again. They met once, they will meet again. Until then he will cherish the memory of his sapphire eyes and golden hair and marble white skin. He will cherish the shell he fail to deliver until they meet again.  
“Hey there baby brother.” Damen hears Kastor coming from behind. “Just came to check on you and to tell you father is still a little mad for you running when King of Vere was here. He wanted you to see him so you could know the face of liars and deceivers.”  
“I’ll see him other time, after all they are all the same.” There was silence. “Hey Kastor. Are blonds rare in Vere?”  
“No. why?”  
Quietly Damen mumbles to himself. “Damn it. How will I find him?”


	2. after the end

It’s annual festival of arts and crafts. For the nobility it was one of the most important part of the year as their children have chance to show their skill and maybe find a match.  
Place is full of handmade handkerchief made by most noble ladies, a jewelry designed by Nobel sons, paintings made by women and man, rich tapestries, beautiful pottery decorated with stories of Akielos legends and of course people too rich and too poor to afford any of those stuff.   
Laurent comes every year to see some normal part of Vere. To see a part without scheming, without sex, without manipulation. In his past this was a day when he and Auguste would go out to judge the art and to simply enjoy it as normal people would. It would be a day when they would put their titles behind. After losing his brother he wasn’t as hyped as he used to be, since all the beauty was gone and his own life was dark too. This day did bring some color and good memories a feeling of nostalgia for the better days. Now after six long years he finally felt excided once more to take his own title as a main judge.  
Having Damen by his side helps, a lot. It almost feels as the old colors returned, as everything between those six years did not exist. It feels good, it finally feels as home once again. They enjoy nice weather and arts and crafts that Vere and Akelios has to offer.  
“I like this one.” Laurent says to Damen.  
They are looking at the new handkerchief that are true work of art. The one he is showing is rich purple with golden star in witch center is lion head.  
“This one could be our new flag. The symbol of our kingdom.” Damen says standing behind him.  
“No. I mean it would be nice, but this kind of purple is made of shells, a really beautiful ones. I do not wish to destroy something so lovely just for our enjoyment.”  
“Then let’s take this one as our own little symbol.” Damen whispers half seductively. He also agreed on the point of handkerchief. The color was perfect match of Akelion’s crimson red and Veretian deep blue. The unifying symbol of the royal stigma of star and lion was done perfectly. The colors of chosen thread were perfect. Mostly gold but eyes of the lion matched Damen. The lion’s mane was done in extraordinary details and star was made of pure golden silk.   
They did pick it as the winner and the girl who made it found a great deal of pride when kings asked for it to be sold to them. Laurent picks it up remembering where he heard story of this lovely color and the memories came back asking himself again if he still thinks of this curly boy form that golden beach.

In the night they are laying in their bed looking each other in the eyes. Damen strong hands are holding Laurent close and safe. The cold night of Vere allow him to stay like this for long time, in this pose he can show his love in form of the warmth. He remembers what his husband said that day at the festival and it remind him that in Vere shells are not o common of fashionable as in Akielos making him wonder.  
“I never imagine you as shell lovers.” Damen jokes.  
“Well I’m. In Vere they are not so common so I do not wish to destroy those that exist. “Laurent says his hand on Damen’s chest and scar. “You know once when I was a boy, I met one Akeion boy and he gave me shell. It was so lovely and beautiful but in time its color faded. I still have it though.”  
“You were at Akelion before Marlas?” Damen asked surprised, after all he as prince should be aware of such information.  
“Once. When I was really young. Father took me and Auguste to the Akielos so we would try to make stronger alliance even back then. But I missed the meeting by getting lost at the beach.” Laurent got silent, a light smile appeared on his lips he was remembering that hot day at Akielos’s beach. “The boy I met was unusually nice to me. He took me to the water, fed me apricots and even gave me shell. But I never got a time to thank him or ask for his name.” His voice was silent “While he was trying to get another shell for me, Auguste found me and took me without giving me a time to say goodbye properly. He was really worried for me.” Laurent looks at his husband and Damen has the most shocked face Laurent ever saw on him. “What?”  
“… Laurent I…think we met before…”


End file.
